Congress says Ramesh Bidhuri’s remarks ‘insult to country’, demands his immediate suspension from Lok Sabha

PTI, Sep 22, 2023, 7:42 PM IST

Representative image (source: PTI)

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday strongly condemned BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri’s objectionable remarks in the Lok Sabha against BSP parliamentarian Danish Ali and demanded his immediate suspension from the House.

Terming the remarks an ”insult to all MPs and the country”, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the apology offered by Union minister Rajnath Singh was a ”mere eyewash” and not acceptable.

”It is an absolute shame what Bidhuri has said. Rajnath Singh’s apology is simply not acceptable. It is a half-hearted apology, it was an afterthought.

”What Bidhuri has said is an insult to Parliament and makes a mockery of what the prime minister keeps repeating ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas, Sabka Sabka Vishvaas, Sabka Prayas’ which becomes all ‘bakwaas’ (nonsense),” Ramesh told reporters here when asked about the issue.

Bidhuri made certain objectionable remarks targeted at Ali on Thursday night during a discussion in the Lok Sabha on the success of the Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission.

”What Bidhuri has said is an insult to all of us. Strictest possible action should be taken against this MP. If this is not a case for suspension (then what is). Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha (of AAP) stand suspended for exercising their democratic right of protest inside Parliament and Mr Bidhuri has spoken in a language that is an insult not only to Danish Ali but also to every MP and every Indian,” the Congress leader said.

Ramesh said the defence minister’s apology is an ”eyewash” and the strongest possible action must be taken against Bidhuri. The remarks were expunged from Parliamentary records and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had immediately expressed regret for Bidhuri’s behaviour in the House.

Strongly condemning the remarks, the Congress leader asserted that Bidhuri must be immediately suspended and he should also tender an apology.

”During the special session, the prime minister gave various speeches, saying a ‘new chapter will be opened, new energy will be infused’ but Ramesh Bidhuri has shown what the BJP’s intention and agenda is,” he said.

In a post on X, Ramesh also slammed former Union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Harsh Vardhan for allegedly laughing at the time of Bidhuri’s remarks. ”Two former Union Cabinet ministers, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Dr. Harsh Vardhan, shamelessly gleeful at the hate speech made by their party colleague Ramesh Bidhuri yesterday in the Lok Sabha. They deserve as much condemnation as the most awful Bidhuri himself,” Ramesh said.

”This is the shameful level to which BJP under Modi-Shah has fallen,” he said.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday took ”serious note” of the objectionable remarks made by Bidhuri in the House and warned him of ”strict action” if such behaviour is repeated in the future, officials said.

Bidhuri’s remarks targeting Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) member Danish Ali during a discussion on the ”success of Chandrayaan-3” in the Lok Sabha triggered a furore, with opposition leaders calling for strict action against him.